Into the Midnight Hour
by DarkRevelry
Summary: After the death of his partner, Katsuki Bakugo is transferred into a completely new ward in Tokyo for a 'fresh, new start.' His first mission? To catch the thief that has been terrorizing the city for almost 4 years now. What will he do in the face of his disarming opponent and can he resist falling in love with her, knowing the bounty on her head is as dangerous as she is?
1. The Pendulum Swings

The vibration of the phone against a heavy wooden bar is almost lost in the slow crooning of music - Katsuki Bakugo can almost imagine that his cell has been turned off if he focuses on the sound of drums in the background instead of the irritating reverberation that is slightly nudging his fingers.

It's not the first time that his phone had rung while he was sitting on a barstool, drowning in the warmth of whiskey as ice lightly taps against his teeth whenever he takes a gulp. Kirishima had been calling him every five minutes for the past thirty minutes and Katsuki knew that if he picked up this phone right now he would tell the nosy male to go and fuck himself but he also knows that unless he finally puts a rest to his question he won't be able to grasp back his ever failing sanity. His shoulders rise and fall in time with the harsh sigh that leaves slightly chapped lips before he's swiping the green accept call button, resting the edge of it against his ear. "You're like a bad girlfriend I can't fucking shake….what's your problem?"

His words are not kind, a simple but tired growl escaping between open tiers as he focuses on the row of bottles that aren't hidden behind an absent bartender – maybe if he just reads the labels he won't leave this stupid place and just go home to sleep. He'd been working nonstop since he had gotten to the precinct this morning. "Don't be like that…" his cheerful tone ringing through the connection, muffled to the bodies around him but loud and irritating to the male recipient. "What the fuck do you want?" His answer is short and cut throat, selling the idea that he wasn't at all on board for this. "You're so grumpy….you're going to end up scaring this girl off if you don't wipe that scowl from your face."

How Kirishima managed to be consistently this annoying was mind boggling but there is a part of him that knows that he means well. He had practically been hounding him since his transfer to get out and experience life for what it was. Did he really need to sit around and work himself to death? His routine was so monotonous he had to be bored out of his mind – that's why he demanded that Katsuki go and meet one of the girls he knew.

They were a childhood friend, which is what he had told him as he sat on the edge of his desk earlier that morning. Kirishima even announced to him that he had been prepared to stay there as long as he could before he finally managed to get him to agree. "I didn't even want to go and meet whatever her name is..." He begins but is only cut off by boisterous laughter, the image of Kirishima shaking his head with that friendly grin did nothing but light a fire and he has to resist the urge of chucking the phone at the next person that passed him. "Her name is Mina Ashido and she's a good girl….I told them to put your drinks on my tab so just relax….you could use some new friends…or even a girlfriend as far as I'm concerned."

"I don't want a -" He's immediately cut off by the other, knowing that this argument could go on forever if they let it. "Look, Bakugo….she said she'd be there in a little while so just calm down and have fun. It's not going to kill you to get to know someone else besides me…..Have fun!" He mutters this as cheerfully as he can before Katsuki is left looking at the suddenly black screen of his phone with hatred clear in his eyes. "How the fuck did I get stuck with someone like him?" The sound of his phone clattering back to the bartop is only offset by the sudden wave of his hand to the bartender who had been keeping him under a side eye since the fifth glass. He nods to Bakugo and he's left growling in annoyance, eyebrows furrowed so what is a usually handsome and cold face looks more dangerous and feral than anything else.

He's convinced himself that if the girl doesn't show in the next drink then he's just going to leave and yell at Kirishima in the morning – He doesn't need new friends and he certainly doesn't need a girlfriend. At least, that's what he's been grumbling to himself since he had made sure to drag a comb through his hair, an attempt to get himself look at least halfway presentable for his this chick he'd been forced to meet.

He could have been reading the new case file on that thief that had been giving this new precinct a hard time for the last couple of years, Orchiko or some equally as stupid name…but instead he was waiting here for this girl to show up instead. What was he really getting himself into?

He's not sure because by that time he was convinced that he had to look like a fool or at the very least, an alcoholic – it had been nearly 30 minutes since their meeting time and the longer and longer he stayed the angrier he was getting about it.

"Fuck it, I'm leaving." He mutters to himself, turning around to grab the coat that he had thrown over the barstool when a petite figure slides into the seat next to him. There is such a confident ease about her movements that he almost can't help the obvious way in which he stares at her. The curve of her shoulders inclined slightly downward, the subtle sound of bracelets clinking together as she rests her forearms against the wood top makes him realize a little too late, the way the pleats of her skirt rest in careful arrangement at the tops of her thighs and he realizes she's noticed him in his halted movement.

"I usually charge for staring so long but you're handsome enough for me to waive the fee." A silvery sound winds through his ears and clouds his senses for just a moment, eyes glued to glossy tiers as she chuckles just a little bit at his dumbfounded expression.

As soon as he registers the melodious sound of her laughter his expression straightens into one that is less of a very impressed boy and more of one fit for someone who doesn't find her joke funny at all. "As if I'd pay you for anything." He spits out, letting his body relax a little more in the seat as he takes a healthy sip of his half empty glass. He knows he's set it down a little heavier than he intended, the clink almost overwhelmingly loud, but the girl doesn't seem phased by the way that he's acting to her. In fact there is a subtle spark of intrigue in her eyes as she inclines her head a little bit more in his direction, a smirk playing at the edges of pink lips as she reaches out to grab his drink from his hand.

"I do love a guy with a little bit of edge to him." Her announcement is confident, a husky sense of accomplishment dripping in poison honey words as she takes a sip from his glass and simply slides it back into his open hand.

He knows that the surprise at her move is written in the lines at the edges of his eyes but he doesn't want to let her know that she's got any kind of leverage over him and so he meets her challenge head on. He lifts the same glass to his lips, making sure to deliberately place them where hers had just lingered while making sure their eyes are connected – Katsuki Bakugo isn't someone who allows himself to lose just because the girl that had showed up is a lot prettier than he thought she was going to be.

"You must be Mina Ashido." He boldly declares and for a second he thinks that he might be wrong, brunette eyebrow arching almost masterfully before she allows herself to tilt her head to the side just a tad, locks brushing against her shoulder and causing his eyes to falter as the subtle scent of strawberry shampoo invades his nose. "I guess it wasn't much of a surprise, huh?" She announces with a little bit of laughter playing in her tone.

"You can just call me Mina." She offers almost helpfully, something that was hiding just behind the surface of her words is quietly digging at Katsuki but he doesn't quite know what it is. She isn't shy about using the momentary lapse of words to carefully rest the palm of her hand against well-muscled biceps as she leans forward. "I'll call you Katsuki….does that sound good?"

She phrases her question as if he has some sort of choice in the matter but he knows exactly what she's doing here – a little smirk of his own making an appearance as the tip of his tongue carefully wets the edges of his own lips. "Sure, if you want to Angel-Face." An on the spot nickname that makes her laugh a little more outright as she flags down the bartender, offering her own order.

"I'll take a Cranberry and Crown Apple." It's not a drink that he's heard before but he can't help the snort that naturally comes from him as he looks down at his own drink, the sight of his ice chips carefully swirling around at his insistence a slight distraction from the small brunette at his side.

"You need a chaser? Maybe you're a bit softer than I thought you would be." He teases with only a small sound of malice at his words, a natural occurrence from his detective work and he doesn't work to curve it in the presence of Kirishima's friend. He can be easily misunderstood but there are people who can look past the way he initially comes off and can see what lies beneath – he doesn't have a need for a girl who only sees that which he represents himself and if she's going to be anything more than some girl he got set up with then she's just going to have to go with it.

Sure, it's inflexible but when is he compliant? "I am soft, at least when you touch me." She offers to him, his eyes cutting away from his drink and settling down on the woman next to him with just a hint of surprise. "Oh, are you thinking bad thoughts?" She asks him without missing a single beat, a slight flush playing at the apples of his cheeks as he scoffs instead and downs the rest of the drink and turns his upper body to her.

"Look, Angel-Face." He says again, pretending as if he's already forgotten her name because he wants to rile her up a little bit. His sudden aggression is only shielding him from the embarrassment of being called out so leisurely by this tiny wisp of a woman. "I'm not thinking anything so don't flatter yourself."

Though even as he works hard to be harsh about it he thinks that the knowing look behind her eyes is both irritating and kind of hot – not that he would admit it out loud for anyone. "You don't have to be embarrassed, I'm just teasing you Katsuki."

Her response is almost cool, a quick wink that catches him just barely off guard as she sips at her drink. Most women would have bowed out by now, deeming him to angry but this girl seemed to be able to let everything he'd said so far roll off her back like water. He's impressed, though only a little, and so he tries to relax his shoulders so they're not hunched up at his ears, perking up only a little bit when she takes an obvious breath to grab at his attention.

"So, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? I'm interested in you." It's almost airy in the way it fills the sudden space between them, her petite frame turning in the chair so that she's facing him straight on. It's a bold and sudden move but he follows suit, resting the edge of his chin on his upturned palm as he gazes at her. He might be mean but he would have to be stupid to say that she wasn't attractive, maybe that's why he hasn't already blown her off. He doesn't have a lot of patience for beating round the bush since he's such a straightforward kind of guy but he has this compulsion to at least hear what she has to say in that moment. "Didn't Kirishima tell you all that shit?"

It's an honest to god question and it's met with a sly smile, her finger gently running across her bottom lip as those soft orbs look upwards instead of directly at him. Is she trying to tease him again? He has a small internal struggle with that thought while she takes her time in answering him. "He told me a little bit about you but said that if I had any questions I should ask you when we met up."

Her answer is almost phrased as ifs he's indulging his curiosity and he has to resist the urge to roll his eyes again. "That sounds like some shit he would do." He complains loudly, thinking about how he's definitely going to punch him in the morning when they see each other; especially because he wasn't really that fond of talking about himself in depth anyway. His past was sensitive and though he wouldn't say that to her, he definitely watered down the answer. "I was a punk growing up, someone helped me realize that I needed to stop adding onto the shit in the world and I decided to help clean up the streets from little assholes like me."

His sudden shrug is as rough as his personality but she doesn't seem to mind it, in fact her smile becomes almost indulgent as she takes another sip of her drink before pushing it a little ways away from her. Was she already done? He doesn't dare to ask and instead keeps his gaze fixed right on her face. "That's a pretty good reason, I think." She offers and he can't help but feel a little embarrassed, his scowl deepening obviously as the flush reappears against his cheeks. "Yeah, yeah, it's nothing special so don't think about it." He wants to wave off those overwhelming feelings that are coming off from her steady gaze but he feels like he's almost drowning.

He always appears cocky and overconfident. He says what he wants to who he wants and he would be damned the consequences but in the little bit of time that he had sat here trying to talk to her he felt as if it was starting to unravel just a little bit. "How long have you been a cop?" She asks almost rapid fire, giving him not much time to dwell in his thoughts before he's answering. "Five years, it's not really long." He offers as he waves down the bartender without a word, finding a drink right next to him in the matter of a minute. "I think it's impressive….but I think that you're a really interesting guy so that might be the reason." She teases, offering him a wicked glint that causes him to tilt his head a little bit.

She was quick to drop compliments, wasn't she? It was almost disarming and it was certainly more than a little charming and he didn't quite know what to do with himself. "Is that right?" He hums offhandedly, eyes searching her face for a little hint of dishonesty but he didn't quite feel like he could find any. Did Kirishima envision them being able to hit it off this well? Did he know what kind of girl she was before she had introduced herself to him? If so, why didn't he warn him? The idea that this girl was just as upfront and honest as he was, though a lot nicer for sure, it was something that he just couldn't quite get over.

He had these thoughts that someone always wanted something from him one way or another and now it was just up to him to figure out what exactly that was. "What about you then? What do you do?" He asks suddenly, wanting to see if there was any surprise in those doe like eyes.

Wait…doe-like? Had he really just thought that?

"Me? I bet you couldn't guess it if you tried." She challenged him carefully, watching him like a cat about to pounce upon its prey whenever it lowered its guard. "So I have to guess now? I was pretty upfront about what you wanted to know." He reminds her with a bit of a frown. He's not sure what he expects her to do but the laughter was definitely not it – she's not shy in the way she presents herself and it's obvious by every movement she makes in his direction.

She wants to soak up information without giving any about herself, he'd seen that a million times in his line of work and yet somehow he was managing to fall for her obvious trap. How did he let her have the upper hand? How was he going to make this all work in his favor? "I'm in entertainment." She eventually offers up, manicured nails tapping to the rhythm of the song in the background as she waits for him to make his move. It's obvious she won't give him any more than what she's said so far and he eventually settles on the fact that she won't be giving him much more.

"Fine." He grunts with impatience, allowing his own fingers to drum against the countertop to combat his irritation – he doesn't realize that his fingers are close to her own until she brushes them against his and he has to stop himself from immediately retracting his hand out of habit. "Are you an actress? Model?" He throws out the suggestions easily, not believing for a moment that was the case here.

"Nope." Her interjection is smooth, words teting the atmosphere as she lets her fingers brush over his own once again, waiting to see his reaction to her bold move. "Okay….a voice actress maybe? I wouldn't be surprised."

The compliment is halfhearted but that only makes the edges of her lips quirk up again.

"Does my voice sound good then?" She asks teasingly, allowing him to roll his eyes and look away from her for a moment. He doesn't want to admit that he thinks so and he figures it has to be on her face because her grin has stretched like the Cheshire Cat as she lets those soft orbs gaze right through his bravado.

"Dancer?" He tries again, aptly ignoring her loaded question as she suddenly nods her head to him.

"That's exactly right, you're pretty good at this."

She's complimenting him again and as a result he just shrugs a little bit, the obvious pleasure at being right written all over him but she stays silent about it and he finds himself a little grateful that she does. "So you're a choreographer?" He asks again, his interest peaked. She was certainly good looking and her muscles were a little obvious in her sleeveless top but he wouldn't have pegged her for a dancer at all. Though he had seen more people in professions he had never dreamed so it wasn't too farfetched.

Though it seemed that his victory is short lived because the sudden indulgence in her gaze tells him that he isn't exactly right – something she tries to supplement by dragging her nails across the back of his hand. She wasn't going to make it easy on him, that much he could figure.

"Not exactly….I'm more of an exotic dancer than anything else. I work at Strip Teaze, over in the Red Light District." She says this without an ounce of embarrassment and yet there is a sudden shock in his gaze at he looks at her. "Oh, are you surprised? I don't seem like a stripper, right? Too innocent?" She's teasing but the words seem almost rehearsed, automatic and he has to imagine that he's certainly not the first person who has given her an odd look. "We all have our walks in life, right? I actually enjoy what I do, like you enjoy what you do."

She gestures to him, a little bit of recklessness coloring her words as she boldly states her shot – he supposed that it's the reason she's so comfortable with being a flirt and while it might have turned him away from her if she was someone else…there's just something about her that keeps him seated. "I'm a little shocked, I'll admit but it's not a deal breaker or anything….now if you were a murderer that would be different." He tries to assure her that he's not against what she does but she almost looks at him as if she already knows. "I'm definitely not a murderer….but I am a thief."

Those words manage to bring a laugh from him after he purposefully downs the whole glass of drink he'd been neglecting while playing her games – the warmth is pooling in his chest and he feels more confident now than he had all through their interaction up to this point. "

Oh yeah? What do you steal?"

He asks, not taking her words serious at all. She's toying with him, he knows that at this point, but there is just a little something in her expression that he can't quite place. The soft upturn of a smile on a soft, careful expression is dizzying and beautiful and he wants to know what it is she isn't quite telling him.

"Oh you know…art, jewels….hearts." She's practically purring at him with that and he can't help but nod, hand catching hers for a brief moment of confidence so she can't retract.

"Do you think I'll catch you then, Miss Thief?"

She can't help but laugh at him, reaching to let her fingertips brush a strand of his blonde locks away from his forehead before she settles her eyes on him. "Trust me, Katsuki….No one has ever caught me."


	2. Our Tilted Hourglass

There is an intensity in her touch that he is trying very hard to ignore in that moment – seriousness is clear but she's doing a very good job at making it seem more like a joke that anything else. He wants to say something about it but she's clearly done with the conversation after she settles back into her own space and leaves him only with a sly grin.

"So, let me ask you this…" He begins this with enough confidence in his voice but it tapers off for a moment because he honestly doesn't know which question he wants to ask her first. Why did she agree to come meet him? What was it that made her so confident and assure in herself? Was she really a thief and if so why was she telling him? He eventually decides on something safer because a little voice in the back of his mind lets him know that she definitely wasn't going to allow him to know that much in such a short time.

They had only first met, after all and he was sure that he could chalk all this up to flirting anyway. "What made you decide to become a stripper?" The delivery of the question is free of the other thoughts that are swirling around in his head and he can't help but notice the amusement that sparks in those eyes that have been practically looking through him all evening. He can't help but think that this isn't the first time she's received such a question but the way she carefully allows herself to lean against the bartop gives him the idea that she doesn't mind giving away this much. "I like money and I don't like to get into trouble….so what's safer and more legal than taking your clothes off for money? You're not tricking anyone and they know exactly what they are getting when they sit at the edge of my stage….no one can say I give more or less than what's there."

It's a practiced speech; he can tell that much because of the way the fall between her glossy and irresistible tiers like it's not the first time she's given the exact same answer. There is something else there though and he can feel it, almost beckoning him to ask his more prying questions but it doesn't seem like a safe route. Instead he offers her laughter in place of further questions, shaking his head and tilting the edge of his glass in her direction. "Fair enough…I can't argue with that." The burning of liquid fills his chest again as he downs the rest of the liquid that had been sitting on the bottom of his glass and almost slams it down onto the counter top.

"Let me ask you a question in return." She begins without skipping a beat, those soft orbs still focused on his face as if he were the most interesting person in this entire bar. Perhaps if he were someone else he would be self-conscious at the amount of attention she was giving him but his is Bakugo Katsuki and he isn't someone who shies away from a little attention…no matter how attractive the girl that was giving it to him. Though there is something about her that keeps him drawn in and wanting to answer her questions – they aren't intrusive, mostly normal when you're getting to know one another, but the idea that there is something more that she wants won't go away.

He doesn't know what it is but his intuition has never been wrong before and he wants to ride it out.

That's why he nods his head and gestures for the petite female at his side to continue, sparing a glance to the bartender who was mostly ignoring them aside from giving his company an occasional look that made a knowing smile play on her lips. Did she know him? Did he know her? Or was it just a mutual amusement at his otherwise aggressive personality?

"What do you think about the burglary case?" It's outright and a little bit of surprise plays across his face – Kirishima must have told her that they had been assigned to the series of high profile burglaries across the metropolitan area, that's the only way she could know about it but still it was a little odd for her to ask like this. "I didn't know you were aware that I was on that case." It's a little uncomfortable the way he answers her, the tips of his fingers tapping steadily against his thigh as if giving himself something to do so that his mind can stay focused despite the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

"Oh…I didn't know they had assigned it to you, actually." She carefully throws that into the ring as she offers a soft smile, disarming him with a relative ease. "I know the case has been really big in the media for a while and I figured since you were new to the force it would be interesting to get your take on it." The rise and fall of his shoulders causes his eyes to fall away from the roundness of her face and to them instead. He supposes that it's an innocent thought process, all of his sudden suspicion having dispersed as easily as it had come on and he nods his head in return. "I can understand that….honesty I haven't really read much into it since I don't really have television right now…"

Is it embarrassing to say that to someone? His apartment was pretty bare, only the necessities littering his box filled apartment because he didn't feel like unpacking quite yet…though he is curious to what she thinks about it. She had been here for years, right? So the hot button case must be some interest to her. Especially if she is asking him about it and he knows that the glamour of crime can be hazy to some people but really all it was to him was a pain in the ass and he didn't mind letting people know about it. "I'm interested though…what do you think about it? This is the biggest crime in a decade, right? What's your stance as a citizen?" Maybe someone else's insight can help him try and solve this crime as fast as possible…he still had to prove himself to the others because all they know about him is that his partner died and he had a bit of a mental breakdown because of it.

"Mm…I think it's really interesting, honestly." She hasn't touched her drink in the last twenty minutes of their conversation and now she's resting her cheek against her fist, giving her a casual air. "I mean, like you said, it's the biggest crime in a decade right? We know that they have a couple suspects in mind but the police have been dropping the ball on it otherwise…they can't prove that any of the people they have in mind are the ones who are doing it but they aren't letting the suspects go either?" All of what she says is public knowledge he assumes, not really having talked to anyone else that wasn't on the force about it, yet she seems almost as if it's a personal thing.

"I know Kirishima.." She begins, pursing her lips as if deciding what to say to him is appropriate, before letting herself relax a little bit more. "…was telling me that they know who it was but she's just so slippery it's impossible to get anything out of her…" The tip of her tongue carefully flicks out against her bottom lip before she continues on. "…I know the media was deadest that it was a guy but I think it's kind of interesting that it's not….I mean you don't see many women in such a big spotlight and the fact that she's giving them the run around is also kind of interesting to me…I mean what kind of woman can keep the police on their toes for such a long time? Besides…I heard she also has some connections to the Phoniex Tear's …they say that their leader was her ex boyfriend and that he has a hit on her because the latest thing that she stole was his…"

The way she trails off gives him a small opportunity to process her words – the idea that this thief was being pursued on more than one side was an interesting through process but he hadn't read the file so he didn't really know much about it…but her words were kind of like a red flag. Didn't she say that she was a thief earlier? What were the chances that she was the person he was looking for?

He does feel a little ridiculous that he immediately assumes the worst about this girl that he had set him up with; trying to swallow down the idea that she was a thief. She told him she was a stripper and he believed her and just chalked up her knowledge to being so close to Kirishima…he had said that they were childhood friends after all.

"Are you okay Bakugo?" Her voice pierces through his thoughts and he looks away from his thigh and to her with a little nod. "Sorry…I was thinking." It's a shitty apology but he doesn't care about it…the alcohol is obviously affecting his processing skills for him to even think someone like her could be a danger to him. "Sorry…is what I said weird? Kirishima just told me a lot about the case so I feel really interested in all of it is all…kind of like I want this girl to get caught just so our town can go back to normal." Her smile is sheepish, her fingers nervously picking at the edge of her skirt as if she's embarrassed that she had told him so much. It's definitely a cuter side to her and while he couldn't feel the smile at the edges of his lips he knew that is exactly what he was doing to her in that moment.

"It's okay Mina….it comes with the territory right? I mean you guys have been friends forever from what he told me." He wants to assure her that it's fine and she nods her head enthusiastically to him. "He is my best friend…so I want to see you guys both succeed." It's an honest sounding statement and he can understand her stance on it but before he can say anything else to her she suddenly stands to her feet, checking her phone and giving a little groan. "I'm so sorry….it's late and I have to get home…"

He wonders if she feels regretful that she has to leave so suddenly because he surely does – perhaps that's why his smile falls off and his expression becomes more natural. "I really had a lot of fun getting to know you Bakugo Katsuki…." She's reaching to place her hands against his again and he can't help but get caught up in how beautiful she is again, even as she is apologizing to him. "Same…." He answers her in assurance, gripping her fingers for a moment before he goes to reach for his phone. "Can I have your number?"

There is a surprise at her face that is cut by the sudden appearance of a blush on the apples of his cheeks before he's furrowing his eyebrows "Only because I want to make sure if I want to text you again." He immediately growls this because he's very embarrassed by the look she had given him but in the time that it takes him to look away from her, he feels the softness of her lips against his cheek and his surprise is palpable in the way he whips his head back up and sees her prancing away, turning only to give him a wink. "I'm going to come see you tomorrow at the precinct; I'll give you my number there."

And like the wind she had disappeared and he was left sitting there, wondering if she was real at all.

Four alarms, two trains, and a spilt coffee on the ground in front of him later and Bakugo is finally entering his office with more than a few choice words for anyone who had dared to look at him. He's hungover and irritated by the populace and ready to lash out at anyone who comes at him in the wrong way.

That doesn't stop his new partner and friend, Kirishima , from bounding into his office with an ouverage of innate joy and happiness despite the early hour. "I was wondering how long it would take you to get here!" He says cheerfully, ignoring the death glare that Bakugo is leveraging at him the moment he appears with that stupidly spiky red hair. "It's too early…go away before I kill you." He warns, laughter spilling from his friend as he throws himself into the chair that is directly across from him.

"You're so cute when you're angry, you know that?" He teases him without fear for the threat that Bakguo go had leveled at him, much to his annoyance. "What the fuck do you want?" He eventually gets out, rubbing his temples as the headache pounds behind his eyes . He really needs both his headache and his partner to go away until he is presentable to the public but it doesn't seem that he is going to get what he wants at all today.

In fact, he's sure that the other is there just so he can hear about how the blind date went between him and his friend. "I just wanted to talk to you before we got busy today…you have to interview Uraraka Ochako later and she's a fucking handful, trust me." He doesn't grimace but merely shrugs his shoulders because according to Kirishima, this girl loved to torment all of the officers and since he was new he was like a brand new and shiny toy. It wasn't going to be easy but Bakugo had seen and dealt with tougher people than one little girl who liked to steal stuff.

"You've told me before." He says between his teeth, the rubbing of his head is doing nothing to help the headache but he has to do something so he doesn't strangle someone instead. "Anyway…are you here to talk about that Mina girl?" He wants to cut to the chase and the stupid grin on his friends face is what tells him that he is exactly right, a groan leaving his lips as Kirishima leans forward. "Exactly…I wanted to apologize to you that she didn't show up….she said she had to stay late at work and her phone died so she couldn't text you…but she wants to meet you tonight if you're up for it."

"Yes…yes…it went great and I –" he stops suddenly, eyes flying open and looking to his friend with confusion written all over his expression. "What do you mean? We met up last night at the bar like you said…" He trails off because the confusion is mirrored on the other male's face, red strands moving as he shakes his head at him and gives Bakugo a more concerned look. "No…she never showed up…that's what she told me." He offers as he immediately reaches for his phone, scrolling through it for a moment before giving it up to Bakugo to look.

Crimson orbs flicker over the messages and then he suddenly looks up at his friend with more than a little bit of disturbance over his features. "I met some girl last night who claimed to be Mina Ashido….who was I talking to?" He wonders with furrowed brows, his words only cut off when he hears the sound of a knock on his door and the opening of it to reveal a police officer who was standing there a little nervously at the look of anger on Bakugo's face.

"U-Um….Uraraka Ochako is here to speak with you Sir…" The male says before the familiar figure of a girl steps out from behind him, a cheeky smile on those red lips that he had found irresistible the night before, causing his heart to lurch and his eyes to widen a little bit with a mixture of shock and surprise.

"I told you I would see you today…didn't I, Bakugo Katsuki."


	3. The Cuckoo Chimes

There is only a second delay between the disbelief on Bakugo's face and the sudden raucous laughter that leaves the mouth of the red head that's sitting right in front of him.

It seemed that Kirishima put it together just a tad bit faster than he did and now he's almost doubled over, shoulders shaking in amusement. The idea that this Uraraka chick had somehow scoped him out before he finally met her face to face was something that he just couldn't get over and the longer he had to hear the others irritating laughter the angrier he was getting.

"I told you she was hell." Was the first thing out of his mouth as he moves to dodge the well-aimed pen by suddenly standing up, grin stretching his lips as if it would rip at the edges and give him a crooked smile. What he wouldn't give to throw him out of his office at that very moment because the look Uraraka was giving him wasn't helping him with the sudden wave of anger that was overtaking him.

He couldn't believe he was so stupid!

"Thanks for the compliment, Kirishima." She's practically purring, flirtation so obvious in her words that he can't believe she's so confident. Especially because all Kirishima does is wink at her, knowing very well the type of person that she was and that Bakugo might have met a match in the head strong brunette….but it's a story he'll have to hear later because he knows that it's probably best for him to leave.

That's why he locks his arm around the officer's neck and gives a little wave to his blonde companion. "Have fun…I'll see you guys later." Is the last thing he says before he pulls the door shut behind him, Uraraka having already taken his vacant seat and crossing her legs at the knee.

Every inch of her is screaming confidence and Bakugo is a mix between irritation and shock with a pinch of curiosity that is gelling to try and keep his expression as neutral as possible. She's revealed a part of her hand to him and those probing, doe like eyes are waiting for him to slip up so that she can exploit it. She's cunning and smart and he knows that she can use any situation to her advantage just from recalling their conversations from the bar just the night before. She had even admitted to him that she was a thief but that wasn't going to hold up here, not now, and he had to figure out how to establish his dominance here and quickly.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." She finally says after a couple of tense minutes, watching the wheels in his mind churn as he tries to figure out what to say to her first. This isn't the first time she's been in this situation and it plays to her strengths….some that he is only just now beginning to understand. "More like a criminal." He eventually spits in her direction as he busies his hands to flip through her file in a haphazard manner.

They both know he isn't reading it.

"So you decided to pretend to be my date to what..get information out of me then?" He asks nonchalantly, those crimson orbs locking to hers and trying his damndest not to let them slide to her lips as she offers him a smirk that is a lot more attractive than he should really be feeling considering all the factors of what's going on right now. Damn it…what was he thinking?

"If I recall correctly…" She begins softly, uncrossing her arms from her chest and letting them rest on either side of her on the arm rests. How is it that she seems more at home here than she should? He knows she doesn't have any respect for authority but this is a completely different aura than he is used to. "…you're the one who assumed I was this Mina Ashido girl…." She shrugs slightly and he's thrown off a little. "…I wanted to talk to you a little bit and get to know the kind of person you are…so it worked for me and it worked for you…I thought we hit it off pretty well."

He can't help but to scoff as he throws down her file and points his finger at her instead, the ferocity that he feels is written all over his face….not because she is wrong but because she is completely and utterly right. He'd been looking forward to talking to her again….but as Mina…not as Ochako. "You're a fucking fraud is what you are…." He begins before he's taking a deep breath and leaning back against his chair again, folding his arms over his chest.

Why is he getting so worked up? Why does she look so pleased with herself? "I'm a lot of things..not that you can prove most of them." She interjects with that same beautiful, airy laugh as last night. He has to compose himself before he loses his mind on her….she already knows that she is getting under his skin and that face alone fuels the hate bubbling in his chest. He felt like he was making a fool of himself in front of the girl who had been assigned to him because of his known ability to take down more savvy criminals. How was he going to prove himself if he kept this up?

"Let's get something clear here Uraraka Ochako." He begins after taking a few moments to compose his thoughts, index finger tapping the slightly scattered file in front of him. He makes sure to not take his eyes off her but it only seems to amuse her more than anything else. "I know you're the thief….you might be able to flash that pretty smile and get yourself out of trouble but I'm not going to let this go. I will make sure that you're exposed and that you end up in jail for the maximum amount of time I can get you."

His statement is bold and in response, she arches one of her brows as if inclining him to speak more. He doesn't want to give into her prompting and so he falls silent instead. She takes those few moments and when it becomes apparent to her that he's done with his little statement she can't but scoff a little bit at him. "Is that all you've got? I was expecting you to bust my ass or something but…" She shrugs. "If that's all you have I can tell this is going to be easier than I anticipated."

Her phrasing rubs him the wrong way and almost immediately he snarls at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means…Bakugo Katsuki…that better and stronger men than you have tried to do way worse…" Her voice sobers a little bit, a dark edge to her words as her eyes narrow at him. He has to wonder what exactly it is that she means but before he can prompt her she's busted out into another smile, taunting him. "Why do you think that you've been assigned to this case, because of your prowess?" She asks him with an obvious rhetorical phrasing, fingertips drumming against the wood of the arm rest beneath them. "No….you've been assigned to this case because every single one of their detectives have tried and have failed to pin anything on me. They're hoping that maybe you can do something about me but the fact of the matter is that you're going to fail."

The taunting edge to her words is driving him crazy and he wants nothing but to grab her by the collar and shake her until she shuts her mouth…but that's unprofessional and the fact of the matter is that she came when asked…she wasn't here because they made her. She could get up and leave at any time and he wasn't at liberty to do anything about it other than listen and talk. What bullshit.

"But, between you and me, I'm just a stripper." She muses to him, a bit of a sigh to her words. Her confession from last night is ringing in his ears as he listens to her lie to him with the knowledge that he can't call her out on it. He doesn't have any proof and he had just been assigned to this case so he hasn't gone through any of the evidence either. "Do you have anything else to say here, Bakugo?"

She's simpering at him and all he can do is let out a frustrated sigh. "No, you're free to go." He eventually offers and she's quick to rise with practiced grace to leave. Though when she gets to the door she stops and looks over her shoulder at him and he's stunned for just a moment by how beautiful she looks…just like was the previous night.

"Before I go….I really enjoyed last night…maybe we can meet up again sometime now that you know who I am." She offers before opening the door. "Because I'm going to make sure you fall in love with me before this is all over with, Bakugo Katsuki…." There's a certain shine to her eyes as she winks at him, exiting the room and leaving him with one thought.

She definitely was hell in heels.


End file.
